Chapter Thirteen: Trouble That Cannot Be Avoided

"The Dragon Elephant Prana Technique is divided into upper, middle, and lower scrolls. The upper scroll itself contains three levels. With your current physical strength, you can only withstand the tempering of the first level; forcing yourself further would harm the host."

"Once your body reaches the required threshold, the system will proceed with the tempering of the second and third levels."

The system’s crisp voice sounded, slowly explaining.

Hearing the explanation, Ke Bei’s sullen expression softened a little.

“How do I increase my physical strength?”

He wasn’t a gene-enhanced individual and had no idea how to improve his physical strength. Generally speaking, only gene-enhanced individuals could increase their physical power when breaking through bottlenecks. Ke Bei was just an ordinary person—if not for the mysterious system, his physical strength would forever remain at the level of an average man. How was he supposed to improve?

This time, the system didn’t immediately answer his question, falling into a long silence instead.

Ke Bei wasn’t anxious. He believed the system would eventually provide a solution; otherwise, what was the point of risking his life to complete these missions? If he couldn’t claim the rewards, why bother at all?

Sure enough, as Ke Bei anticipated, after a full half hour, the system’s clear voice rang out again.

“In light of the host’s unique circumstances, the system is awarding you the ‘Foundation Cultivation Method.’ Would you like to claim it now?”

“Claim it!”

Ke Bei smiled. The system was not entirely heartless. Although he hadn’t instantly mastered the entire upper scroll of the Dragon Elephant Prana Technique, at least there was some compensation.

A golden beam of light shot forth, and a vast amount of information about the ‘Foundation Cultivation Method’ imprinted itself in detail upon Ke Bei’s mind.

“What a treasure, what a treasure indeed!”

Ke Bei leapt up with excitement. The Foundation Cultivation Method was actually a true internal cultivation manual! And it was no ordinary manual. Most internal training methods simply accumulated vital energy through controlled breathing, but this one was different. While it also cultivated vital energy through breath, the energy generated did not gather in the dantian, but spread throughout the limbs and bones.

By nourishing the body with this vital energy, one’s physical strength would continuously increase! In principle, this growth had no ceiling—so long as one kept practicing and the energy kept replenishing the flesh, the body’s strength could increase without limit!

Just as Ke Bei was about to sit down and begin his cultivation, a series of shrill and frenzied howls echoed in the distance.

“What’s happening? Are the zombies rioting?”

Ke Bei crawled to the crest of a dirt mound, cautiously poking his head through the dead grass. The sight before him left him utterly stunned.

Sixteen burly men clad in pitch-black armor and wielding enormous broadswords had formed a circle about a hundred meters in diameter. Beyond this circle, hundreds of red-furred zombies howled madly, but no matter how fiercely they attacked, they could not breach the perimeter.

The sixteen warriors stood like living statues, effortlessly keeping all zombies at bay.

Within the circle, a young man about Ke Bei’s age wielded a blood-red longsword, fighting three red-furred zombies with graceful, wind-like movements.

“What a display of power,” Ke Bei muttered, clicking his tongue in awe as he gazed at the youth in white within the circle. He slowly stood up, his mind preoccupied with the Foundation Cultivation Method. He no longer wished to hunt zombies; the most important thing now was to begin his training and quickly improve his body.

Glancing at the sixteen burly men blocking the road back to the city, Ke Bei decided to skirt around them. He had no desire to provoke trouble—one look was enough to tell these men were not to be trifled with.

But Ke Bei had underestimated their overbearing nature. As he approached within a dozen meters on the narrow path, one of the armored giants suddenly smashed aside a red-furred zombie and strode over to block Ke Bei’s way.

“Who are you? What are you doing here?”

The man’s expression was proud and cold as he interrogated Ke Bei.

“I’m just here to hunt zombies. I’m tired and hungry, so I’m heading home. Is there a problem with that?”

The man’s attitude irritated Ke Bei, but he suppressed his annoyance, not wanting unnecessary trouble, and explained himself.

“Of course there’s a problem. This mass grave has been sealed off—how did you get in?”

A glint of menace flashed in the man’s eyes as he barked out his question, his massive broadsword poised to strike at any moment.

“Sealed off?”

“A mass grave can be sealed off? What, does this place belong to you?”

Instead of answering, Ke Bei shot back with a question of his own.

The man’s overbearing tone made Ke Bei deeply uncomfortable. He kept backing down, while his interrogator pressed ever forward.

“I asked how you got in!”

“It would be wise for you to answer honestly—otherwise, you die!”

The man’s voice grew even harsher, his large, coppery eyes fixed unblinkingly on Ke Bei.

“To hell with you! How I got in is none of your damn business. Get lost!”

Even a clay Buddha has a temper. Seeing the man’s fierce manner, Ke Bei’s anger flared.

“You’re courting death!”

The man hadn’t expected Ke Bei to curse him. With a furious roar, he swung a massive iron fist at Ke Bei’s head.

But Ke Bei neither dodged nor retreated. He met the blow with a punch of his own. He was no longer an ordinary person; though he’d only mastered the first layer of the Dragon Elephant Prana Technique, his strength already far surpassed that of a normal man—perhaps even stronger than a first-level enhancer! Exactly how strong, he was about to find out.

A crisp crack sounded as their fists collided.

A flash of terror crossed the man’s eyes—his arm had been shattered by a single punch from the youth before him! He was a first-level enhancer, yet his arm had been broken with one blow. Just how powerful was this opponent?

Ignoring the pain of his broken limb, the man hastily retreated. A second-level enhancer was not someone he could afford to provoke.

Ke Bei raised his fist, examining it in disbelief. Was he truly this strong?

To shatter a first-level enhancer’s arm with a single punch? Damn, the Dragon Elephant Prana Technique was ferocious! And this was only the first layer. How strong would he be if he mastered the entire upper scroll?

Ke Bei’s heart burned with excitement, his eyes shining with fierce light.

“You strike with such force, friend—are you deliberately showing me, Pei San, no respect?”

The youth in white, at some point, had stepped out of the circle and approached Ke Bei, his refined brows arching slightly.

Whatever method they’d used, the red-furred zombies that had surrounded them had now vanished. The sixteen burly men encircled Ke Bei and the youth in white.

“Sorry, I don’t know you and I don’t want any trouble. It was your man who attacked first.”

Ke Bei met the youth’s gaze, his tone steady and unyielding.

“Oh, is that so?”

The youth’s blood-red sword quivered lightly in his hand, a wicked smile playing on his lips.

“If you have something to say, say it. I’ll answer you directly.”

Ke Bei frowned. From the youth’s manner, it was clear this would not end peacefully. Though Ke Bei disliked trouble, that didn’t mean he was afraid of it.

With his current strength, he truly had little to fear.

“Today is my first time venturing out of the city for training. Your skill is impressive—far superior to those clumsy zombies. If you can withstand three of my sword strikes, I’ll forget your attack on my man. How about it?”

The youth gazed straight at Ke Bei, his white battle robe fluttering in the wind.

“I am no sparring partner. My skills are for killing.”

A three-inch willow-leaf throwing knife appeared in Ke Bei’s palm. His expression was cold and unreadable.